David Ball
David Ball has been an enthusiastic and committed field hydrogeologist since completing his first degree in Geology at Trinity College, Dublin (1971) and a Master’s degree in Hydrogeology at University college, London (1972).
David has long experience in developing pragmatic methods of well design and construction, particularly for sustainable water supplies for disadvantaged communities in developing countries. David’s early ability to innovate in the absence of modern equipment for drilling, testing and exploration continues through to the present.
David’s career has taken him from deep drilling programmes in the arid zones of the Middle East to volcanic rock aquifers developed for irrigation in Mauritius. He has worked with refugees and semi-nomadic pastoralists in areas of poor security in the African Sahel and in the horn of Africa, where groundwater exploitation was difficult but critical.
He has devoted much effort to teaching pragmatic hydrogeological skills, training organizations for groundwater development in Nigeria and Malaysia, and for NGOs such as RedR, Concern Worldwide, and Hydrogeologists without Borders. He has also found time to support students in applied hydrogeology in universities in Ireland as well as with the IAH Irish group, and to co-author standards in well design in Ireland
David has been a member of IAH for over 40 years, is a founder member and former Secretary and President of the IAH Irish National Chapter, and a founder member of the Burdon Groundwater Network for International Development, where he has done much to promote its activities, particularly in assisting members in low income countries. His expertise has long been recognized in appointments to advisory boards for the Royal Irish Academy, the Geological Survey, the Irish EPA and the EU.
We are pleased to acknowledge David Ball’s substantial contribution to applied hydrogeology and practical groundwater development through the Applied Hydrogeologist Award in 2020.
Dr Abdel Hafiz Gadelmula
Dr Abdel Hafiz Gadelmula gained his Bachelor’s degree (1969) and subsequently his Master’s degree (1971) from the University of Khartoum, Sudan. He received his doctorate from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany in 1980. In his 50-year career he has spent time in academia and as a consultant, working in Sudan and in the Middle East on groundwater resource development projects. He has been part of many international project teams, often working in remote areas on critical water supply projects.
Dr Gadelmula became a Teaching Assistant at the University of Khartoum in 1973 and then a Lecturer in 1980. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1986, was Head of the University’s Geology Department from 1990 to 1992 and, subsequently, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science from 1999 to 2001.
For much of his career Dr Gadelmula has been a consultant. He has worked with European, African and Chinese consultancies and with the Arab Fund, World Bank, European Union, on village water supplies, well installation and rehabilitation, irrigation and food security projects. He has been an adviser to Sudanese Ministries on many projects. He also worked on groundwater resource development in Kuwait for the Ministry of Water and Electricity.
He has advised on safe sources of potable water for Qatar Charity, carried out hydro-geophysical studies for the Austrian Red Cross and Sudanese Red Crescent. He has worked with UNHCR at refugee settlements, including in conflict areas, and has participated in projects that have enabled many countless numbers of people to normalise their lives and for some to return to their homes after being in displacement camps for many years.
Dr Gadelmula is also the author or co-author of numerous publications, including books on geology and strategic groundwater resources in Sudan, and has contributed to translations for the Groundwater Project.
Dr Abdel Hafiz Gadelmula is a worthy recipient of the IAH Applied Hydrogeology Award.
